Slave Canal mound investigations

BY ROBERT PATTON

Often as I work in the FLMNH Southwest Florida Project
computer lab, Dr. Jerald Milanich gaits through and surprises me with
a few humorous words of gold advice. When he did so back in April
1995, he really caught my interest. It seems there were several
aboriginal mounds close to the Aucilla River which, while of interest
to the ARPP, were "too young or dry" for its regular research
program. The Project and its supporters were interested in having
someone check the mounds out. Milanich's own surface collection at
some of these sites had turned up oyster shell, about 6 miles from
the coast! Could these sites have been closer to the Gulf in the
past, possibly during a period of higher-than-present sea-levels? I
quickly responded that, since I was planning to conduct an
archaeological survey in May and June, I could probably find time and
wherewithal to slog out there in July or August.

Little did I realize what a treat lay in store. After
speaking with Dr. Webb, I traveled with Mark Moons (the good), Dan
Palt (the bad, veteran of May's survey or "The Brazilian Pepper
Nightmare"), and Andy Hemmings (the ugly), to the ARPP facilities. I
was warmly greeted by Jack Simpson, after which I proceeded to jump
off the dock and break an eardrum on the water's surface. A freak
accident? No, Andy was not involved. That night I learned the true
value of a great project support team - Dr. Hoyt Home, thank you
again. Nevertheless, the next day revealed "wonderful things"

Traveling north up the Slave Canal (itself a historic and
archaeological treasure) we stopped and conducted surface collections
at four sites. The first two were lithic scatters in the canal and on
the stream Robert Patton banks, where a slight rise was noted - most
likely a natural levee with cultural deposits on it. The third site
was a collection of historic structures and features, including what
appeared to be at least one small building and three small (3')
circular stone enclosures. Some pieces of metal that appear to be
barrel-hoops suggested that the enclosures were used for storage.
Ceramic whiteware sherds found nearby date to about 100 years ago.

The fourth site we came to was the place we had come to
see. A small slough running from the Southeast joined the Slave Canal
stream on its east bank. To the north of this small slough and up the
eastern bank of the Slave Canal was a crescent-shaped ridge about 6
feet high and 200 feet long. The ridge was wide enough to taper
gradually into a distant stream-terrace, about 100-150 feet from the
running water. It was widest at the confluence of the slough and
stream, with most of its thickness to the east of that point. Our
surface collection that day included several chert flakes, potsherds,
and a few oyster shells, just as Milanich had described. Even though
Jack said that a larger mound was farther upstream, I knew that this
site could answer the relevant questions; Could the inhabitants of
the Slave Canal mound sites have been obtaining their oysters in the
immediate vicinity? What culture inhabited the mounds (and how long
ago)? I returned to Gainesville determined to explore these
questions.

In late November, Andy, Mark, Dan, and I were able to
return to Site 4 for four days. I had decided that the best way to
proceed was to do a small (1m x 1m) test excavation in an area that
appeared to contain the full stratigraphic sequence; Pottery and
shell would provide materials for accurately dating the mound's
development and use; Bulk samples taken from each stratum could be
used to answer the question "how far were these people going for
their seafood?" At the same time, we needed to know how far the mound
is above present-day Mean Sea Level; If present Gulf sea level curves
are correct and the midden materials do not seem to have been
transported long distances, then the mound might be expected to date
to a time of higher-than-present sea level. The distance above
present MSL should then correspond to the proposed magnitude of that
high water stand. So while two of us worked on the test pit, the
other two sought to link Site 4 to the elevation marker at the
Page/Ladson site.

The surveying ended up taking more time than was expected,
simply due to the distances we had to cover and our inability to
secure a laser transit for the weekend. Additionally, we found that
the Page/Ladson datum is not tied to MSL. However, an absolute
elevation benchmark was located (on the main highway bridge) in
preparation for finishing the instrument work quickly next time.

The most exciting aspect of the four days was the test Pit
Although several (3'- 8' in diameter) looter's pits pocked the
surface of the mound, we found an area near its greatest thick ness
that appeared unspoiled and was very close to the water. I proposed
that this area might contain the fullest stratigraphic sequence for
the midden. A 1m x 1m excavation unit was laid out there with sides
facing the cardinal directions. Excavation proceeded in 10cm levels.
Where soil color, texture, or inclusions changed during excavation,
the natural stratigraphy was traced. All soil was screened through
hardware cloth.

The first stratum consisted of black (10 YR 2/1), sandy
humus with numerous small roots, some king's crown (MPEongena corona,
a brackish/saltwater snail), other shell, bone, some potsherds, and a
nail. Level 1 was entirely within this stratum. Although formal
analysis is not complete, the majority of sherds found in this level
were Sand-Tempered, Plain.

In Level 2, we began to notice a slight color change (10
YR 3/1 - very dark grayish brown) in the southeast and northeast
corners of the excavation. These areas turned out to have little
depth, forming shallow "lenses" within Stratum 1; They may represent
small deposits of ash or other refuse dumped on the surface of the
midden. More oyster shell appeared in level 2, along with pieces of
freshwater snail shell. Perhaps most signifigantly, Level 2 contained
a great number of Deptford check-stamped sherds and Swift Creek
complicated-stamped sherds. Also, pieces of low-grade quartz crystal
and a biface were recovered. The biface appears to be a knife,
although it may have been reworked from a spearpoint. From its style,
it originated either as a member of the Lost Lake group (here, Bolen
Plain: 8000-7000 BC), or its slightly later form, the Kirk Corner
Notched group (7500-6900 BC). From A.; its appearance in a ceramic
level, and B.; through careful examination of the tool's surface, it
seems clear that the inhabitants of the site found this knife which
had been lost or discarded millennia earlier, resharpened one working
edge, and put it back into use.

On the basis of soil color alone, it is unclear if Level 3
is still part of Stratum I. After a full profile is uncovered and all
materials are analyzed, this will be resolved. Level 3 contained many
less Swift Creek sherds than level 2, several Deptford sherds, and
several pieces of partially-baked clay and sandstone. Under three
especially large pieces of gritty material (6-10 cm), a heat-altered
biface preform was recovered. Both the associations between these
artifacts and their respective conditions indicate an area where (at
least one instance of) heat-alteration of chert was conducted.

(Mark Muniz excavates a test unit in the mound)

As exciting as these preliminary results are, they are all
we have for now. Running out of time as our classes, jobs, and cold
weather bore down, we had to cease excavation. Much time and effort
was put into devising a way to shelter the test unit from the
elements. This spring we hope to complete the test unit and elevation
readings. It's exhilarating to consider the information we will gain
onDeptford peoples. We already know they lived in the area from 500
BC to AD 200, with an economy that emphasized aquatic resources (see
Milanich: The Archaeology of Pre-Columbian Florida, pp. 111-150).
Most large Deptford sites are near the coast, and several smaller
inland sites are known. The Slave Canal Mound may tell us more about
the interactions between coastal and inland sites. Further, the
transition from Deptford to Swift Creek assemblages occurred in the
eastern panhandle about AD 250-300, indicating the spreading
influence of traditions from Georgia. Understanding the environmental
setting of the Slave Canal Mound may help explain how and why this
transition occurred.